Photo courtesy of Bellini Opera Theatre
The Rev. Pino Licciardi (left), pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, Detroit and Rosolino Lo Duca of Lincoln Park, greet vocalists Rosella Lo Duca of Clinton Township, Lara Semetko of Grosse Ile and Dino Valle of Dearborn at a recent Pasta & Puccini fundraiser. A benefit for the Downriver Council for the Arts, the event raised $6,000 for improvements to the DCA headquarters at the James R. DeSana Center for Arts and Culture in Wyandotte.

By Evelyn Cairns
Plans are being completed by the Southern Great Lakes Symphony for a “Bucks and Brews” beer-pairing dinner to be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Tuesday at the Fort Street Brewery, 1660 Fort St., in Lincoln Park.

A highlight of the event will be a drawing for winners of the SGLS current Bucks and Brews raffle.

Doug Scott and brewery owner Pete Roman will host the three-course dinner and explain the pairing process. Specialty dishes and dessert will be complemented by libations created by brewmaster Doug Beedy.

The meal will start with an appetizer of a mixed-greens salad with Paw Paw fruit paired with Summer Sunsation, a Belgian-style ale made with Paw Paw fruit.

The entree will be beer-braised Cornish game hen with apple stuffing and grilled asparagus paired with Oaken bock (bourbon-barrel-aged bock).

Scott said the brewmaster’s pairing plans are subject to change depending on the brews he creates before Tuesday. Doug Scott and Friends will provide music at the event, and tours of the brewery will be available.

Tickets for the dinner, $30, are available by calling Mari Frost at 734-671-8651.

The next SGLS fundraiser will be “Summer Jazz,” featuring music for listening or dancing by the Doug Scott Trio and a buffet supper Aug. 25 at the Grosse Ile Yacht Club.

Italian event is a success
Despite a series of cloudbursts, more than 100 opera and Italian food aficionados gathered recently under a tent adjacent to the James R. DeSana Center for Arts & Culture for the Downriver Council for the Arts’ fourth Pasta & Puccini benefit.

The event, which raised $6,000, was highlighted by the performance of Puccini arias by sopranos Lara Semetko and Rosella Lo Duca and baritone Dino Valle, accompanied by pianist Neil Eisenstien.

A dinner of Italian specialties was catered by Carrabba’s Italian Grill of Southgate. The menu included Chicken Marsala, Pasta Marinara, a salad, cannoli for dessert and wine.

Accordionist Natale Emanuele, in traditional Italian attire, provided music during the cocktail hour as guests bid on auction items.

Among the prizes was a balloon ride valued at $700, won by Riverview Mayor Tim Durand. Other items included a basket of assorted wines, a wine cooler with wine, a golf outing, paintings and a mas-sage.

Paula Boase, chairman of the benefit, was assisted by a committee including Karen Ranka, Phillipa Matakas, Faye Tabor and Dale Cook.

Plans are under way by the DCA for a perform-ance by the Bellini Opera Theatre in October.

WCT group sets auditions
The Wyandotte Community Theatre will conduct auditions For “Broadway Babylon” at 7:30 Monday and Tuesday at the James R. DeSana Center for Arts & Culture, 81 Chestnut, Wyandotte.

The play, a story of broken promises and faded hopes, directed by Peter Sonnberg, will be staged Oct. 11, 12, 18 and 19 and the DeSana Center.

For additional information, call 734-775-9635 or go to www.wyandottecommunitytheatre.com.

Art exhibit in progress
The works of Downriver Council for the Arts Gal-lery Committee volunteers are currently on exhibit in a show at the James R. DeSana Center for Arts & Culture, 81 Chestnut, Wyandotte.

The exhibit will be available for viewing through Aug. 23. The center’s summer hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.